AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Culturally Competent Parent Mentors Support Families of Minority Children with Asthma, Leading to Reductions in Wheezing, Exacerbations, Missed School and Work Days, and Emergency Department Visits

Culturally Competent Parent Mentors Support Families of Minority Children with Asthma, Leading to Reductions in Wheezing, Exacerbations, Missed School and Work Days, and Emergency Department Visits

Snapshot
Summary
Parents of African-American and Latino asthmatic children were paired with trained, culturally competent parent mentors (experienced parents of asthmatic children) to help them understand and care for their children’s asthma. Mentors conducted home visits, phoned parents monthly, and met monthly with children and their families at community sites to educate and support them. Families received various financial incentives for participating. The program improved the ability of parents who participated actively in meetings and phone calls to recognize when breathing problems can be controlled at home, and significantly reduced wheezing, asthma exacerbations, missed school and parent work days, and emergency department visits. The program also led to significant cost savings for participants. The program ended in 2007 due to financial constraints, as initial funding was time limited.

Evidence Rating
Strong: The evidence consisted of a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) of 220 African-American and Latino families with asthmatic children, with 112 assigned to the program and 108 to a control group.


Developing Organizations
Medical College of Wisconsin; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Principal investigator Dr. Glenn Flores was affiliated with the Medical College of Wisconsin throughout the intervention’s active enrollment and data collection period; he has since relocated to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. end do


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AHRQ Innovations Exchange | Culturally Competent Parent Mentors Support Families of Minority Children with Asthma, Leading to Reductions in Wheezing, Exacerbations, Missed School and Work Days, and Emergency Department Visits